8/30/2010

InterBase 2009 installer - say hello to Windows 3.1 again

It seems that InterBase development suffers from the lack of resources. Recently I downloaded InterBase 2009 Developer Edition in order to install it at new workstation, with intention to look at corrupted database from customer, started to install it and saw this dialog:

Someone new it IT could not not even recognize where is this dialog from... it's from Windows 3.1. Installation is the first experience that new users have from InterBase and what they see? Old-styled dialogs indicate the level of attention from company to its product.
On other hand, localized and fast (and much smaller) Firebird installer at Windows looks much better and give very positive user experience, because opens source developers create products for own use too, not for the abstract customers.
Also, CodeGear in the installation location - IB2009 was published in August 2008, when Embarcadero already bought virtual CodeGear division from Borland, and there were at least 3 service packs and 1 hotfix after that.
It seems that there is nobody in Embarcadero who is responsible for the renovation of InterBase installer.

UpdateAfter this blog-post SriramBalasubramanian from Embarcadero contacted us and commented on branding issue:

Thank you for the report. InterBase 2009 branding and name specifications were set before the Embarcadero purchase timeline for CodeGear. Thus the name still reflects C:/CodeGear/interbase/

Since the installer does not get branding/naming changes in Service Pack releases, it still (unfortunately) reflects no change.